Taken Away
by Kumiko-kun
Summary: A war takes many things away from a fighter but Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home? T for now. Roy/Ed
1. Letter

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T Not to give it away but it starts out in the middle of the war in the north.

**CHAPTER 1**

By Kumiko

"Mustang!" Ed yelled, clapping his hands together to fend off another set of attacks from the enemy forces. Rocks were thrown up into the air, as his alchemy flowed through the ground to break up the rock beneath. The others were already on their way to cover the general when they saw a new crew of people racing toward him. With each step that he took toward him, he could feel the alchemic power in the ground below him. When the ground beneath him began to grow, his feet stopped moving. Within minutes, he was falling through the ground, hearing yells of other men going through the same thing.

"Fullmetal!"

Looking around, Ed found himself in a large hole in the ground surrounded by wounded or dead men. Swearing loudly, he clapped his hands and got out of the hole quickly. Once he was out of the hole, he found himself face to face with another alchemist, though not on his side.

"Well, it's nice to finally be face to face with the brat of the military," the man said, staring down at him. "Even after your comeback from the other world, you're just as pathetic." He laughed, sneering at Ed. "Well, Fullmetal, what are you going to do? Your precious general is so far away, he won't be able to hear your screams for help."

Ed took a chance and glanced at the general, who stood yards away, snapping and trying his best to stay alive. Even with the others were around him, Ed didn't feel safe without him being there with him.

"Pay attention, Fullmetal," the guy yelled, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him up in the air. "Feeling useless?" Laughing, he threw Ed onto the ground behind him.

Ed landed head first into the rocky ground below screaming out in pain. Slowly, he pushed himself up from the ground, blood dripping down from a wound on the top of his head. He turned around to look for the man behind him but saw no one there.

"Is that it, runt?"

Ed whipped around to look in front of him and found the man kneeling down by him, holding a few rocks in his hands. He saw a grin on the man's lips before the flash of light blinded him and pain raced through his head and body. He could feel himself being blown backwards away from him and men around him screaming. Laughter from the man filled his ears as he landed.

"Oh, Fullmetal, where is your general now? He hasn't come to save the day yet," the man laughed, watching Ed squirm on the ground from the pain. "Or is it that he doesn't care anymore about a runt who cannot defend himself?"

Ed clenched his jaw, his hands covering his eyes that hurt like hell. Slowly, he removed his hands and opened his eyes; fear filled his body when all he saw was red. Blood.

"Stop it!" Ed screamed, transmuting his automail arm into a blade and piercing the man in the chest in one quick movement. Trying to blink away the blood from his eyes, he stood shakily on his two feet. "Die, bastard!"

Again, Ed pierced him in the chest then kicked him away, watching him cringe in pain. "I'm not useless to anyone," he screamed at the man.

The man began to cough up blood from the wounds Ed had made. "Too bad, you'll die before your general knows you were ever hurt," he laughed between coughs, transmuting the ground behind Ed into a large spike that speared Ed in the back.

Ed screamed in pain, his painful cry reaching out ever the entire battlefield. Pain raced through his body as he began to get weaker, trying to find Mustang on the field of battle. His eyesight was leaving him, slowly as the pain and darkness began to take over his body.

"Fullmetal!" He heard someone yell again, this time a more familiar voice. "Ed!"

-- Eights months later —

The sky above Resembool shined brightly with the afternoon sun high in the sky. Fluffy white clouds floated by in the clear sky letting the sunshine down onto the small house beneath. On the porch outside the house, a young man sat, staring at the horizon. His golden hair blew in the slight breeze that went by as his eyes stared off into the distance. There was something off about him, something that one couldn't see by looking at him. The way he sat on the chair, showed that there was nothing wrong with him, not physically or mentally, but looks can be deceptive. Though, no one around him have yet to figure out what exactly is wrong with him other than what they knew.

"Ed," a feminine voice called from inside the house, "lunch is ready."

He said nothing as he stood and placed his left hand on the wall to help guide his way into the house. Months spent at the house in Resembool were spent with him learning and memorizing the layout of the house. When he arrived at the house, just five months ago, he was in a bad state of mind and body. Still, even now, his body and mind are still not recuperated from the accident. Al and Winry did what they could to help him, trying to ease his pain and loneliness the best they could, but they knew there was little they could do.

"Nii-san," Al called out, seeing his brother entering the house. "Would you like any help?"

"No, Alphonse, I'll be fine," he said, quietly, still using the wall as a guide to the kitchen. If there was one thing that Ed hated, it was feeling useless or pathetic. He never wanted people to pity him for what had happened or what he was trying to do now. Ever since the accident, the tone in some of the people's voices he always heard was that of pity and sorrow. He hated hearing that when they spoke to him, hated hearing how sorry they felt for him now. Years ago, he had worked so hard to make everyone happy and get everything right again, but now what could he be happy about.

It always took him a bit to get around places, especially whenever he wanted to go somewhere out of the house. Winry or Al always went along with him to help him get to where he wanted to be and then kept him company until it was time to go back. The two really cared about him, but what could they do to help a man who wanted little help from others. Silently, at night, Al could hear him crying out in pain and sadness. Though, he never brought it up with his brother, he knew it hurt him to be living this way.

"Nii-san," Al started when they were all at the table eating at their dinner. "We've received a letter from Mustang, would you like me to read it to you?"

Ed nodded, slowly taking bites of his dinner.

Al glanced at Winry once, before beginning to read the letter. They knew that they only received a few letters from their friends while they were still at war. The letters were either of very great news or very sad news. Hesitantly, he took the letter out of the envelope and began to read.

_Ed,_

_I wanted to write you a great letter, telling you that I'd be home soon to take care of you and help you but I can't. They are sending out again, this is the last night that we'll be in the barracks. Hughes and the others are here with me, everyone seems quiet. Havoc just smokes more and Hawkeye cleans her guns. It's sad to think that maybe I won't be coming home to see you again. I really don't want you to be sad, Ed._

_I remember the night that you stormed into my office, yelling at the top of your lungs about something silly. Al had gotten you upset about something and you came to me for comfort. I was surprised, Ed, by this but it made me happy to know that you trusted me that much. That night, you sat on my couch in the office and ranted on and on about Al until you fell asleep. After that, I couldn't pay attention to my work, you looked so peaceful laying there sleeping. You were even drooling all over yourself. Do you remember when you woke up? You looked so grumpy squinting your eyes when you realized that I put my coat on you as a blanket. Come to think of it, I don't think you gave that back to me. You can keep it, Ed._

_I know, I can't tell you not to cry. I can't tell not to be sad, but please, Ed, try to smile for me. Make sure Al and Winry stay out of trouble and you too. Hughes says to tell Gracia and Elicia to smile._

_Ed._

_I love you._

Al stopped reading, glancing up to look at his brother. Ed had his head turned away from both of them, a stream of tears running down his face. Laying down the letter, Al looked at Winry, even a tear was running down her face.

"Nii-san," Al began.

"No, Al, don't say anything," Ed said as he stood up from the table and made his way out of the kitchen. He found his way up the stairs to the room he had on the second floor. On the outside of the door, Al etched his name into the wood so that he knew which room was his. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside the room and closed the door behind him. He reached his hand up to his face, placing it against the area around his eyes. Scars were etched into his skin from his wound, the wound that left him useless in the war, useless to protecting anyone and useless as an alchemist. With tears falling from the wounded eyes, he fell back against the door and down to the floor. The tears kept flowing without hesitation, this was what he feared would happen.

**AN: I don't know if I really like this one or not, it just came to me one day while I was supposed to be working lol. Well here ya go. ^_^ review please!!**


	2. Burden

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T

**CHAPTER 2**

By Kumiko

Ed sat on the bed in his room, holding the letter he couldn't read in his hands, the letter that might be the last one he would ever receive from Roy. Hours he had spent leaning against the door crying. Those hours he spent reminiscing the times he had spent with his love before the retched war that was taking place. Though Roy was not pronounced dead, the words of the letter weighed down his heart as if he had been. Sighing, he fell back onto the bed, closing his eyes as he did so though it made little different to him.

"Ed," he heard Winry say through the doorway. "The doctor is downstairs waiting for you."

He stayed quiet, not answering her, but listened as she continued to speak.

"I know what you heard in the letter was bad, Ed, but we are worried about you," she said, seemingly quieter. "Al is talking to the doctor right now. Please, Ed, we want to see you smile again. Don't let him down."

For a moment, he laid there and didn't move. He didn't want to get up and see them right then, his mind kept going back to the letter. Sitting up, he folded the letter and placed it into his pocket before finding his way out of his room. With careful feet, he made his way down the stairs to where the doctor waited. Once he was down the stairs, he stumbled a bit on the rug that sat on the floor. He caught himself on the wall before he could fall onto the floor. Pushing himself up, he used the wall as a guide to go into the living room. Ed moved into the room as slowly as he could, moving over to sit in the chair that was dubbed his and his alone.

"Well, Mr. Elric, I've heard from your brother that you've been doing better since the accident," the doctor said, a smile accompanying his voice. "I'll just check the progress and the scars tonight."

Ed nodded before sitting up straight in his chair, waiting.

"This will be a bit bright," the doctor said, pulling out a small light to shine in his eyes. Habit had made him say that to every patient he saw when he used the light, though with Ed, there was little need for the warning. For a while, the doctor was quiet, just shining the light in each of Ed's eyes, watching as the eyes didn't react to the light. "Hmm."

"Is something wrong, Doctor?" Al asked, seeing the concerned look on his face.

"It doesn't seem like his eyes are improving at all," he replied, glancing back at Al. "I can't really say that I am surprised by this but I was sure that they would make some improvement."

"So that means…"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Elric," he said, turning back to Ed. "Your eyesight hasn't improved since the accident; I cannot let you return to the military. I advise you to stay here with your brother and his wife and help them with what you can. Without your eyesight, you won't be able to do your alchemy either."

Ed dropped his head, bringing his hands up to wipe his eyes. "No," he whispered, feeling the tears start to come out. "I can't stay here!"

"What are you talking about, Ed?" Winry asked, concern filling her voice.

"I can't make you take care of me anymore," he screamed, standing up from the chair.

"Ed, stop it," Al began but was cut off when his brother stormed out of the room. "Nii-san!"

"Al, you have to go after him, he can't see," Winry said as they both began to follow him out of the house. "He can't be out there by himself."

"I know, Winry, I'll find him."

Winry stood at the doorway with the doctor, watching as Al ran off down the road after his brother. She knew that eventually something like this would happen. Ed was always too proud to let himself be a burden on others. She covered her mouth, feeling a tear fall down her cheek.

"Isn't there anything we could do?"

"No."

Ed raced down the road. Though he knew he couldn't see, he didn't care. The memories of him and Roy filled his mind as he ran along with the words the doctor said. How could he expect them to take care of him when he spent the last few months causing them so much pain? His feet took him far, far away from the house and from the people who he was burdening. He ran so far from the house, he could no longer hear Al's yells for him to stop running away. Slowing his run, he fell to his knees on the ground beneath him.

"Noooooooooooooooooo!" He yelled as he began to hit the ground beneath him. "Why? Why are you taking everything away from me?"

Tears streamed down his face as his hands became bloodier and bloodier the more he hit the rocky ground.

_Ed…_

"Why are you taking my life from me?"

_Please…_

"I can't live like this anymore!"

_Smile for me…_

"Shut up!" Ed screamed again, this time laying his forhead against the ground. "I don't want to hear his voice anymore! I don't want to hear what I cannot have."

_You need to be strong…_

"No," he whispered, his throat beginning to dry with each fit of sobs that waved over him. "It's been too long, I just want to see him again."

_Just remember me…_

"It's not the same, Roy," Ed said, pushing himself up to all fours. "I can't see anything anymore. Al. Winry. You. Everything is gone to me. What's the point in this when I feel so useless? I am nothing but a burden on them and on you!"

_No, Ed, you aren't a burden on us…_

"Just shut up!" Again, he pushed himself to his feet and began forward, this time at a much slower pace than before. He wanted to feel the ground beneath his feet as it rose and fell with each step. He wanted to feel when the ground beneath him dropped away from him. The sensation of falling filled his body as the ground gave way, sending down into a small cave. He didn't struggle to find something to grab onto to keep himself from falling. In his mind he thought that this was his punishement for everything he put his friends through. His eyesight gone. Alchemy, a now foreign subject to him. Military, a job he could no longer do. Family and friends, he couldn't see anymore. What good was he now? He would drag them down, burden them with having to take care of him. For him, he thought it would be best just to leave everyone and have them move on with their lives.

After what seemed like an eternity, he felt his body hit the rock hard ground at the bottom of whatever it was. He could feel his left arm growing numb as he had landed on his left side. His legs were twisted, his automail leg slightly broken by the fall and his human leg, bleeding from where the automail had pierced it. As he lay there, not caring to move, he could feel his body growing colder. A small smile covered his face, realizing that perhaps he would stop being a burden on them soon and let them move on.

"I'm sorry, guys," he whispered, pain shooting through his body as he did so. "I'll stop being a burden to you now."

Taking one more breath, he allowed himself fall into the welcoming feel of unconsciousness, hoping to release his friends from their burden.

**AN: Well um there is chapter 2 ^_^ I am sorta pleased with how this one came out. I am trying my best with doing this between working at my job and working on all my cosplay I am doing for my next convention! So be nice and review please!!**


	3. Dreaming

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T

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Thanks to everyone who has favorited this stories and for those who have reviewd this story!! I appreciate this very much and would love more reviews to show how much you like this story ^_^

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**CHAPTER 3**

By Kumiko

_Ed…_

_Wake up…_

_Edward, wake up…_

Am I dreaming, he asked himself. I hear his voice.

_Ed, they're waiting for you…_

Waiting for me, he chuckled at his own insanity, nonsense.

_Just wake up, Ed…_

Blinking his eyes open, all he could still see was darkness but this was enough to stir those around him. He heard his name being yelled then suddenly arms thrown around him before he growled out in pain.

"Sorry, Nii-san," Al said, releasing his brother and apologizing. "I'm just so happy that you are awake again."

"Al…"

"You don't have to say anything, Nii-san, you are probably still very tired," his brother said, his voice accompanied by the sounds of a chair moving against the floor. "You've been asleep for three days. Winry and I were starting to get really worried about you."

Ed turned his head to face his brother. From the sound of Al's voice, he could tell that his brother was truly worried. Perhaps, the doctor was right about his brother. He didn't want to believe that he had to now depend on Al and Winry for the rest of his life. It wasn't something he was used to and not something he would get used to any time soon. Sighing, he looked away from his brother.

"Winry's at home now, she wanted to stay but I made her go home to rest," Al continued talking. "I told her that I could take care of you and I would tell her when you woke up. I'll have to call her later." He paused. "I got a call from Central headquarters yesterday. It was from Sheiska, she called to let me know that the others are okay and that the war is unfortunately still going on. I told her about how we were doing and she said she would try to get into contact with our friends to let them know." Al reached over and took Ed's hand into his own. "It took me a long time to find you, Nii-san, I was really scared. Please, don't ever do something like that again."

"Al, I'm sorry," Ed said, not wanting to hurt his brother. "I don't want to be a burden on you guys."

"But you aren't a burden," his brother disagreed.

"Yeah," Ed replied, his eyes drifting closed again. "That's what he said."

"He said?" Al asked but saw that his brother was already asleep. Nodding, he got up to go inform the nurses that his brother had awaken but fallen asleep.

_Is it so bad, Ed?_

No.

_I'll be home soon, you know._

I know.

_Do you believe me, love?_

Of course, you saved me back then.

__Eight months ago__

(the last few lines of the flashback in the 1st chapter)

Ed screamed in pain, his painful cry reaching out ever the entire battlefield. Pain raced through his body as he began to get weaker, trying to find Mustang on the field of battle. His eyesight was leaving him, slowly as the pain and darkness began to take over his body.

"Fullmetal!" He heard someone yell again, this time a more familiar voice. "Ed!"

Ed felt warmth around him, heard the sounds of yells getting louder, and tasted blood in his mouth. He couldn't move, his automail arm felt like heavy steel attached to his body and his other arm, completely numb. Even his legs seemed useless to him now. All he could feel was pain, the pain in his stomach and eyes. But shouldn't I be dead by now, he thought to himself.

"Edward, snap out of it," he heard someone yelling nearby.

Grunting, he tried to turn his head toward the voice. He knew he wasn't dead, he didn't want to die, not so soon.

"Ed, don't move," he heard the same voice say, this time more soothing. "We've gotten you away from the fighting, the others are still there but you are safe now."

"General," he whispered, coughing up blood.

"Ed!" Roy moved closer to him, fear written on his face. "Don't speak, you're too weak. I've called someone but they aren't here yet."

He nodded, trying to open his eyes. Pain raced through his face as he did so, causing his face to cring.

"You scared me out there, Ed," Roy said, whispering as he neared the boy's body. "I don't want to lose you, not here, not like this, do you understand?"

"General! We need you out here!" Someone yelled from outside.

"Ed, I have to go," Roy said, looking out the door. "Stay alive, Ed, smile for me."

Ed could hear him getting up to leave from wherever they were. Before the footsteps could no longer be heard, he heard Roy yell from afar.

"I love you, Ed, I'll see you again. Just live."

__End flashback__

I stayed alive because of you, he thought to himself, laying in the bed. Am I dreaming this?

_This is a dream, Ed, but dreams are what keep us alive._

No, you keep me alive, you've always kept me alive.

_I don't think you realize just how special you are to people, not just me._

Roy, come home please.

_Don't worry, Love, I'll be home sooner than you think._

I hope so. I don't think I can do this on my own.

_But you aren't alone. Don't forget about Al and Winry._

I know but I want…

_I want to be home, too. I love you, I'll be there._

I love you, too.

_Remember, Ed, smile for me._

**AN: Well um there is chapter 2 ^_^ I am sorta pleased with how this one came out. I am trying my best with doing this between working at my job and working on all my cosplay I am doing for my next convention! So be nice and review please!!**


	4. Dying

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T

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Thanks to everyone who has favorited this stories and for those who have reviewed this story!! I appreciate this very much and would love more reviews to show how much you like this story ^_^

Sorry that this chapter took awhile to get out, i didn't have a computer for a while so sorry T_T

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**CHAPTER 4**

By Kumiko

Weeks went by; Ed was released from the hospital and permitted to return home with his brother only if he promised never to run off again like he had done. Ed agreed, knowing that it was for the best that he stayed with Al and Winry and that it would be the place that Roy would look when he came home. He dreamed of Roy's return every night when he slept, of being able to see his face again when he got home but he knew that they were only dreams, not real. Every night he wished to dream of Roy and prayed to the god he didn't believe in that Roy would come home safely to him. Hope rose in chest whenever he dreamt of that moment, only to be silenced when reality set in on him. He lay in bed at his home, awaiting the dreams that he loved so much, hoping for that glorious day.

The phone rang, startling Ed from his dreary sleep. He tried to ignore the ringing of the phone that sat only feet from his bed but the ringing didn't stop. Groggily, he swung his feet over the side of the bed and slowly made his way over to the table that held the phone. For a bit he felt around the table until he found the phone.

"Hello?" He asked, sleepily when he placed the phone to his ear.

"Ed?"

That voice, he knew that voice.

"Ed, is that you?"

"Roy…"

"Al, did you hear that?" Winry asked from in the basement shop.

"The loud thump?" Al said, looking at her before intelligence set in and he ran up the stairs, both flights, to find Ed lying on the ground beside the phone table. "Ed? Ed!"

Al knelt beside his brother and shook his shoulder gently before trying a bit harder. Tears were already beginning to slide down the younger brother's cheeks as his attempts to waken his brother seemed to go unsuccessful. He pleaded in his mind to let his brother be okay, that this is just nothing and everything would be okay.

"Please, Ed, wake up!" Al pleaded, leaning down on his brother's shoulder and crying into his shirt. "I don't want to lose you!"

…Flashback…

"Roy…"

"No, Ed, this is Hughes," the man on the other end said, sounding a bit sad. "I didn't want to have to do this; I need to talk to your brother."

"But why? What's wrong?" Ed's voice became frantic as he gripped the phone tighter. "Why do you need to talk to Al? Where's Roy?"

"Ed, I can't tell you," the other man sounded like he was crying.

"Just tell me!" Ed yelled, slamming his fist against the table. "He's my brother and lover, dammit."

He could hear Maes sighing on the other end of the phone and a pause before anything was said. "They need Al to come out to the battlefield, under orders of the Furher because he took the test they said they need him out here to fight. Roy…" Another pause. "I don't know how to tell you this, but Roy's gone."

"Gone? No, he can't be gone," Ed said in a low voice. "You're not serious, Hughes, this isn't funny."

"It's not meant to be funny, Ed, it's the truth," Hughes said, quietly, almost ashamed at having to give the news to the younger. "No one has seen him for three days and there have been explosions everywhere. Just please, Ed, let me speak to Al."

"He's not gone, he's not gone!" Ed said, angrily.

"Get a hold of yourself, Ed, Roy's gone. He could be dead for all we know!!"

Dead? The word hung in Ed's brain. Roy couldn't die, not after telling him that he would be home. Not after everything they had gone through and said to each other.

"Ed, are you listening to me?"

"Dead? No," Ed whispered into the receiver before it fell from his grasp and he fell to the floor. He couldn't and wouldn't believe that the man he loved would leave him. Leave him alone in this world to fend for himself and finish his life in a lonesome state. His heart couldn't take it, it wanted to shut down completely and that's precisely what it decided to do at that moment.

…End Flashback…

Al stood outside the hospital room with Winry and Pinako. The three of them had rushed Ed to the hospital after he wouldn't wake up to Al's pleading and shaking. Winry had felt for a pulse and found one but it was barely there and almost gone. The voice on the receiver was screaming Ed's name, but the three ignored the phone and got Ed to the hospital as soon as possible. They were scared. Ed had gone through so much in the past few months of his life, from losing his eyesight to having to be away from Roy. This being the second time in a few months that Ed has spent some time in the hospital made the three extra worried. It was this time that they had no idea what caused Ed's fainting spell, at least that was what Al called it.

"Mr. Elric?" A doctor asked, approaching the three. "You are Ed's brother, if I am not mistaken?"

"Yes, sir, do you know what is wrong with him?" Al asked, worry filling each and every word he spoke.

"It's not easy to say this, Mr. Elric," the doctor continued, looking down at the chart in his hands before looking up at Al's face. "Ed suffered from a small heart attack. It's uncommon for someone as young and seemingly healthy as your brother but if he was under any amount of great stress that could have triggered the attack. He isn't recovered from the attack and it may take weeks for his body to regain its strength."

Al slumped into a chair that was just behind where he stood.

"I cannot say for sure when he is going to wake up for if he is going to wake up," the doctor continued, gaining a deadly look from both Al and Winry. "It's up to him and his body for that." He said in way of explanation. "I cannot make someone do something that they do not wish to do."

"Thank you," Al said, hanging his head. "May we go in?"

"You can but he is sleeping, so he probably won't respond to you being there," the doctor said before nodding and placing the chart back outside of the room and leaving.

_Ed…_

Roy?

_Yeah, it's me._

Hughes said that you were gone.

_I'm sorry, Ed…_

Don't say that; don't tell me that you're sorry.

_But Ed, I am sorry, I'm gone now. _

No, you aren't! Come home, come live with me! I need you, Roy, you can't leave me!

_I can't come home, Ed, there is no home for me anymore._

Roy! Don't say that. Ed was screaming to the voice of his inner mind, the voice that he could swear was Roy's.

_Ed, believe me when I tell you this, I want to come home, I want to be with you forever, to hold you in my arms and run my fingers through your hair…_

Then come home.

_They have me, Ed, I can't come home. I don't know how long I'll be here. I'm so sorry, Ed._

Don't say it!

_I love you, Ed. I truly do with all my heart._

No! Roy! ROY?! His mind was screaming at itself, knowing full well that he was probably going crazy. Roy wasn't really speaking to him. Roy isn't there with him in the room. Roy was gone. Missing in the line of duty and presumed dead by the Furher. Hughes had said that he was gone; he would never lie to him or Al so it had to be true. He also said that they wanted Al out in the field to fight. There was no way that he was going to tell Al of that part of it but what to do about Roy. His mind wanted him to rush out there and find him and bring him home to be with him forever but yet there was nothing he could. With his eyesight gone and alchemy a forbidden act for him, there was nothing he could do but wait for someone to tell him the outcome. That Roy had died in the line of duty and there was going to be a funeral or that he was found and coming home. Waiting was the worst part of life, waiting for the news of someone's life was complete agony. He just slept, waiting. He wouldn't move, wouldn't go anywhere. It was in his mind that he could see Roy and he could talk to him, Roy would come home, he just knew it. He promised himself, this time he would die if Roy wasn't coming him. His waiting would be over then. The things most dear to him would stop being taken away if he was dead and he couldn't witness the act. He would save who he could with his death if he had to.

**AN: Well um there is chapter 4 ^_^ Sorry it took so long to update this story, I had a brain fart with this one and then my computer was being stupid and then had to wait a few weeks for internet to be back up for me so I couldn't upload anything. Anyway, please review this to tell me what you think!!**


	5. Alone

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T

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Thanks to everyone who has favorited this stories and for those who have reviewd this story!! I appreciate this very much and would love more reviews to show how much you like this story ^_^

-sorry if this chapter seems a bit rushed compared to how the ending of the last chapter seemed. This story is coming to an end soo, cuz I havent gotten quite good feedback from the readers of this one-

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**CHAPTER 5**

By Kumiko

Months passed by and Ed finally returned to his home with Winry, however another was missing. The military had taken Al, had taken him away to war. It was just one more thing to be taken away from a little bit at a time. He didn't sleep well at night, the memories of Roy and the deep voice of his filled his brain. Every step he took in the house, every piece of woods that his fingers graced brought another memory into his brain. A memory of him and Al or of him and Roy, flashes of things that would never be again. Each day that passed by, Winry would sit with him in the den of the house and read from one of the many books in the house. Her voice, she tried to mask it, was filled with the saddness that Ed already knew. Letters from Al would arrive every week, telling them where he was and the status of what was going on. From the words of the letters, Ed knew Al was looking for Roy. Al had seen what Roy's disappeance had done to Ed and he wanted to find the man to bring him back home.

Ed sat out on the porch of the small house, feeling the cool autumn breeze sweep by his face. The chirping birds in the background sang their morning song as they flew by the house. He leaned back against the chair, closing his eyes.

"Ed," he heard a voice come from his left. "Do you need anything?"

"Winry," he breathed, lifting his hands to cover his face. "How long has it been?"

There was a moment of silence before he got his answer. "Nearly a year," she replied, saddness dripping in her voice. "Those two are in serious trouble when they get back."

Ed chuckled slightly at her attempt at humor. "Wouldn't want to seem like we've missed them too much," Ed replied, joining in with her slight humor. "Come sit."

He heard her footsteps move from his left to his rigtht where she took a seat in the empty chair beside him.

"It's been about a month since we've gotten a letter from Al," she commented. "I'm worried."

"I'm sure nothing is wrong," Ed said, glancing over at where her voice came from. "He's probably with him, after all. Planning some way to come home to us."

Silence and a gust of wind filled the air between the two as they both seemed to stare out over the front yard to the street that crossed in front of the house. The two spent two hours each day, sitting in front of the house, waiting for a car to pull up with their loves inside and each day they were dissappointed. No car ever came. NO var ever stopped. With every passing day, their hopes slipped away little by little til their was nearly nothing left. The time they spent outside waiting lessened everyday to the point where they didn't leave the house. Each morning was spent in the den, where they ate breakfast and read. The afternoons, they spent apart until the evening when they would sit in the kitchen, talking of random things.

After a year of being along, Winry got sick. Much to Ed's horror, the sickness, the doctor had said was much like that of his mother's. This told Ed that, she would leave him as well. Alone. Again. He didn't know how he managed to take care of her, while trying to take care of himself. Without his eyesight he was pretty useless when it came to taking care of others but he did his best. He could hear her smile in her words when she would thank him or try to help out by telling him what to do. She knew that he was doing his best. Ed wished that Al would come home, more for her sake than his own. He knew that Roy was never coming home, the voice in his head that was Roy;'s had ceased to talk to him after a year of the man being missing.

"Ed," Winry said from where she lay on the bed she had shared with Al.

"Yes, Win?"

"I'll miss this place," she said, her voice cracking. "I can't leave here. You'll be alone, Pinako will be angry with me for leaving you behind."

"Don't say such things, Win," Ed said, moving slowly to take a seat beside her. "It's been a long day, just get some rest."

"I'm afraid to go to sleep, Ed," she said, nearly crying out. "What if I don't wake up? What if Al comes back and I can't wake up? I don't… I don't want to do that…"

Ed pulled her into a tight embrace. He knew the emotions that were running through her body, it was what he felt every night he fell asleep alone in that bed of his. Though, he didn't really have a reply for her. He had no idea what would happen if she wouldn't wake up, if Al came back and she was already gone.

First, it was his mother that was taken away from him by this sickness. Then his brother's body was taken for years before it was returned and he was sent away. It had taken him years to get back to be rejoined with his brother and friends. Then the war came and he was sent away. He was robbed of his eyesight and ability to wield alchemy by the war, another two things taken away from. Roy, that was when he was taken from him. Stolen from his life, taken to a place where he could not go. His only true love was stolen by the same military that promised to protect its people. That same military took his brother and robbed his friend of her love and life. Now, the same sickness that took his mother was about to take his friend and there was little he could to to comfort her. His embrace and soft words of okays was all he could give and it was all she seemed to need.

After a short while, her sobs became nothing more than sniffles and she pulled back away from him slightly. He still held her shoulders in case she needed him still.

"Win…"

She turned away, he felt her shoulders shift in his grip. "Ed, I am so sorry."

"Win, don't say that," he begged, knowing very well where this was going. Knowing was was about to happen to his life and his world. "I can't lose anything more."

She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, startling him slightly, and placed a slight peck on his cheek. "Give that to Al when you see him, okay?" When she let him go, she fell back onto the bed with a quiet thud. "Smile, Ed," she whispered, taking a hold of his flesh hand and squeezing it slightly.

"No, Win, never again," he said, quielty, feeling the grip she had on his hands loosen until it was no more. He stood from the bed and left the room, the last person in his life was gone. The last reason for his life was gone, now all he could was wait out and see when the fates of the world would take his own life.

Mother…

Al…

Roy…

My friends…

Pinako…

Winry…

Everyone he loved was taken. Everything he could do with himself was taken from him. There was nothing more for him, nothing more for him but to wait. Wait for that moment when his world would end…

Fate, a cruel master of life…

**AN: Well um there is chapter 5 ^_^ The ending is coming I think in the next chapter, so please read and review this one to tell me what you guys think, seriously I hate writing and having no one tell me their thoughts really. It makes me sad!! ******


	6. Granted

**Disclaimer: **I do not own FMA….cries like a baby lol

**Title: **Taken Away

**Pair:** Roy x Ed

**Summary: **A war takes many things away from a fighter. Family. Life. But Ed had something more taken away, something was taken away to make him feel obsolete. With Mustang and the gang at war, will Ed be able to stay sane long enough to welcome them home?

**Warning: **This is after the movie. Ed still has automail, Al's alive and so is Hughes. I can't have him dying T_T

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Thanks to everyone who has favorited this stories and for those who have reviewed this story!! I appreciate this very much and would love more reviews to show how much you like this story ^_^

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**CHAPTER 6**

By Kumiko

Winry's funeral was held not too long after her death, everyone in the small town of Risembul came to say goodbye to her, each giving their small condolences to the young man who sat by the grave. Even with his eyesight gone and nearly everything taken away from him, he did not cry. As the last of the visitors arrived to say their goodbye's, the sun began to set. Darkness would overlook the shadowy graveyard, where his family was buried. Of course, two were missing from his family as their bodies were never found. A letter never arrived to him stating that both Roy and Al were dead, but he knew. Somehow he knew that he would never see his family again, that he'd be alone in the world until his life slipped away. Silently, he wished that the gate was playing some cruel joke on him, that one day he would wake up beside Roy with Winry and Al downstairs getting into trouble. Perhaps, in his own little world it was all a bad joke.

Sighing, he stood from his chair as the last of the people left. He turned his head toward the tombstone that held Winry's name. She was with her parents now; with the people she loved the most away from the pain of life. He supposed that he should be happy that the pain she had been enduring was now gone from her body and that she was in a better place but he had seen the gate, the giant doors to the world of the gods, a land where humans should never trespass and one that he had so many times. In his mind, he wanted to go there again, wanted to bring back his family and everything that was gone. He knew the consequences for something like that; he knew that if he attempted such a thing again, he wouldn't come back.

Slowly, he turned away and made his way back to the empty house. Entering the emptiness of the house gave the young man an eerie feeling. For the past week, he had been in the house alone with nothing to keep him busy but the quiet stirrings of the radio but now it was different. When Winry was alive, she would read him books and letters that were sent to them. She would talk to him about a lot of things and the days didn't seem so long or so drawn out. It's different when you are alone, alone to talk to your own solitude and keep yourself company. This wasn't the way he wanted things, it wasn't how everything was supposed to turn out.

Roy was supposed to come home from the war alive. Riza, Havoc and Hughes were supposed to join him in his return and Al was never supposed to leave. His knees gave out on him, sending him falling to the floor. Tears now feel from his sightless eyes onto the hard wooden floor, finally breaking over the wall that had been up. He wanted to be strong, he wanted to never cry. When Roy came home, what would he think of him? Crying like a child who had his toys taken away? He lay on the floor, not bothering to try to get up, not caring for what he looked like.

The more he thought of the world, the more he thought of the gate, the more he wanted to die. It wasn't the pain of losing his loved ones or the sadness that they were gone that was getting to him; it was the fact that for once he was going to be alone. He had pushed so many people away when he was younger then tasted solitude when he crossed the gate for the first time. When he returned, he had found that his family had never stopped looking for him and that somehow everyone knew he was alive and he was happy to know that. He was happy that his solitude was over and that he would be with the people he cared about. For him, it didn't last long. Nothing lasted long.

Closing his eyes, he prayed for death, prayed that he would never wake from his dreams. He prayed to a god that he didn't believe him, a god that toyed with his very being since the first trip to the gate. Why would such a god grant him this one wish?

The weeks went by like a blur to Ed, he hadn't heard word from anyone and he doubted anyone was still alive that he knew. Did anyone still know that he was here, waiting for some sort of ending? After about two months of being alone, his appetite gone, he began to feel his body giving way. He wanted death, he wanted this pain and longing in his heart to end. Oh, how he wished his could see them again, the people in his memories and in his visions that he saw with his eyes.

October 3rd. That was today's date, the date that he and Al had left everything behind to start their journey. Perhaps, it was the perfect date to end it as well. Ed stood inside the basement of the house surrounded by the metal automail that Winry and Pinako had designed. Pictures of his family lined the walls where there weren't tools set upon it. This room held many precious things to Ed, a room where he felt it was proper for his adventure to end and for him to see everyone again. With a shaky hand, Ed pulled a chair to the center of the room and sat upon the hard wooden seat. Beside him, on the workbench, the sad melody played on the radio. It was eerie how the world worked sometimes. He could feel his body shutting down. Months without nourishment made his body eat away at what was there. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head forward and hummed along to the melody.

The doors of the gate, the doorway to heaven opened once again for the young alchemist. This time revealing a more serene vision than the truth he had been once shown. Now, granting him into the eternal state of nothingness was that very same god that had toyed with him so much. The blissfulness of death would now welcome Ed with open arms and grant him his very wish.

_Ed…_

On the other side of the gate was not hell for him. No other word to visit. No dark hands to take away his body or soul. This time the other side of the gate showed him a side of life where his world would be what he had always wished. The doors of the gate opened to a world of his friends, the smiling faces of all those that he missed and he loved. Finally, his peace would be granted.

_Come on, Ed, we've been waiting for you… _

The End…

**AN: and thus it has ended. I hope you guys have enjoyed this story, it took a lot longer to write than I had anticipated and was better I think than what I had began on. Please review and tell me what you think!! I would really appreciate it!!**


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